We are nearly through Amina’s initial medical and dentist visits and adoption-related paperwork. (Her US passport and certificate of citizenship both arrived in the past week!) I have previously commented that I’m glad that she came home in the summer, because having all this disruption to our schedules during the school year would make the transition even more difficult for me. Now I’m just stressed from normal summer things, rather than adoption-related things. I have a high need for structure, and I feel like summertime in our home is a constant cycle of going off the rails and trying to get back on track.
This month is crazy. Last week we went to Milwaukee because Amina had appointments at the children’s hospital, but we turned it into a family trip and celebrated her 11th birthday while we were there. We did some shopping at big-city stores that we don’t have around here, swam a lot in the hotel pool, spent a day at the zoo, and introduced the kids to both a buffet restaurant and Chuck E. Cheese’s. Poor Clara’s sleep schedule was badly thrown off by the drive down, being kept up late because we were all in a one-bedroom hotel suite, and because one of Amina’s appointments was during Clara’s usual nap time (and Don and I both wanted to be there for it). By the third day of our trip, Clara had a complete meltdown. I would have just stayed in the hotel room with her that evening and let Don take the other kids out, but we were celebrating Amina’s birthday and I felt like I needed to be there for it, so Clara had to suffer additional stimulation and another late bedtime. The day after we returned home, Clara was sick–running a fever and vomiting. I feel terrible that we pushed her too far. It’s so hard to balance everyone’s needs in general and even more difficult when we’re traveling.
This week, my in-laws are here visiting. It has actually given me a bit of a break as they’ve gone out with the three older kids during Clara’s naps yesterday and today, leaving me home with more uninterrupted time than I’m used to having in a week. However, their presence has also resulted in both children and adults staying up even later than usual (which, in my opinion, has already become too late this summer), which hasn’t resulted in the most universally pleasant and cooperative attitudes.
Next week, Don is taking the three older kids on an RV trip to the lower peninsula to meet up with some friends from Ontario. Clara and I were going to go, but after our trip to Milwaukee, Don and I decided that it wasn’t worth the stress to her and to me. We’ll stay here and spend some quality time together, and I’ll work on prepping for the homeschool year during her naps and after she goes to bed in the evening. Then, a day or two after everyone else comes home, we’re going to a huge Harry Potter-themed costume party, for which my kids don’t yet have costumes and for which I’m supposed to decorate a table as the Leaky Cauldron (for serving drinks) and, as I’m sure you can guess, I haven’t started that project yet either.
These are all good and worthwhile activities, don’t get me wrong, but they are disruptions from “normal.” Right now, I’m longing for the school year to start so we can settle into more-or-less predictable routines. I think that will be good for all of us. At least, it should reduce my stress level, which I suspect will be good for everyone else in the family too.
I completely understand how all these distruptions happened. I also get your desire for normalcy. Staying home with Clara sounds great. I have reached the point that I prefer doing boring things with rested children rather than fun stuff with crying or grouchy children. I have a 3.5 y.o. and 20 month old and due any day with #3.
I hear you! I am right with you in preferring doing boring things with rested children. My husband doesn’t see things the same way, however, so we tend to have conflict about fun activities and bedtimes in the summer. 😦
I wish you all the best with baby #3!
I completely understand how all these distruptions happened. I also get your desire for normalcy. Staying home with Clara sounds great. I have reached the point that I prefer doing boring things with rested children rather than fun stuff with crying or grouchy children.
Perhaps the summer travels will help the children be ready for the routine of the school year, too. I like your approach of skipping the RV trip. The older kids get fun summer memories, Clara gets a regular sleep schedule, and you get me time and school prep time. (I don’t have kids, but I totally need occasional me time to reset and recharge). It sounds like a win for all!